Danzo listened carefully to Fox's report, immediately pressing for key details:
"So you're saying someone's genjutsu was powerful enough to control one Jonin and two Special Jonin of Konoha? He could remotely manipulate your subordinates to kill each other? And you couldn't get close?"
Yako replied, "Yes, Lord Danzo. His strength is overwhelming—extremely difficult to deal with. Byakko Squad Leader is a Hyuga ninja; my squad lost its intel and reconnaissance abilities, unable to face such a strange enemy. We had to retreat and seek backup. My squad leader, Murasaki, was also hit by that strange attack and badly injured."
A Root ninja near Danzo jumped down from a tree and checked Murasaki.
Fortuitously, this Root ninja was also from the Yamanaka clan.
Danzo especially favored the Yamanaka's abilities—manipulation, sabotage, control—all perfectly suited to his personality.
After a brief check and minor treatment, the Root ninja jumped back up and whispered something in Danzo's ear.
Danzo nodded repeatedly, confirming the culprit's identity.
"So it was him. I should have suspected. He actually struck hard against ANBU... Those who kill Konoha comrades must be executed."
There were many subordinates nearby, so Danzo did not specify the enemy's name, but he already guessed it was Kato Dan.
After a moment's thought, Danzo said:
"Fox, the intelligence you brought is very valuable. Lead the way back quickly to the approximate location you mentioned. If it's him, having more people is a disadvantage. Send your squad ahead to the Grass Country front camp; only you and I will come."
"Understood, Lord Danzo."
Yako had the other ANBU carry the unconscious Murasaki while he led Danzo.
What to do? I'm just a lowly ANBU squad leader, and I really don't know who the enemy is.
I also don't know where Kato Dan is. By some twist of fate, I found Madara Uchiha's hideout—not too bad, right?
If Madara dies, it's the ninja world's final act.
If Danzo dies, it's Konoha's endgame.
Yako quickened his pace.
When people are doing bad deeds, a smirk inevitably creeps onto their lips.
Luckily, wearing a mask, no one could see Yako's barely contained grin.
Leading Danzo, they headed straight for the cave where Madara Uchiha was believed to be.
No idea if Madara had completed transplanting the Rinnegan to Nagato yet.
Chaos—it's good chaos.
Danzo analyzed that Kato Dan was the one assassinating ANBU, assuming Yako would lead him to kill Kato Dan.
But Yako was actually taking Danzo to meet Madara Uchiha, the one controlling three Konoha ninjas with genjutsu.
Thinking of this made Yako slightly excited.
Yako in front, flanked by two Root ninjas, Danzo at the rear.
Soon they reached the base of the slope where Madara was.
The boulder halfway up the hill remained, probably restored by the three Konoha ninjas after entering the cave to conceal the entrance.
Danzo, proud of his Mangekyo Sharingan, stood boldly at the hill's base—fearless, confident, commanding.
In the last life, money was power. In this life, strength is a ninja's courage.
Danzo looked at Yako: "Fox, you scout ahead and test the intel. See how many guards he has."
Yako was extremely reluctant—he'd just used his monthly resurrection. Die again, and it was for real.
But to swallow the tiger, he steeled himself and went forward.
He split a shadow clone.
One real, one clone, a quick swap of positions and twisting maneuvers, then split—each flanking the boulder.
No one stopped them beneath the rock.
Yako breathed a sigh of relief—thank heavens Madara wasn't currently transplanting the Rinnegan, so he had no time for Yako.
That was damn lucky.
Yako attached a detonator to the rock below—still no response.
Boom! The boulder exploded, revealing a pitch-black cave.
Yako dodged the blast and carefully watched the cave from a safe distance.
This was far enough that Danzo couldn't accuse him of passivity—Yako also had a chance to escape.
A shadow rushed out of the cave!
Suppressing his fear, Yako saw a controlled Konoha Jonin.
Behind him were two Special Jonin.
The three Konoha ninjas had dull eyes—obviously controlled.
Danzo glanced and confirmed: three Konoha ninjas under control—Fox's intel was correct.
But this didn't seem like Soul Transfer Technique. Had Kato Dan grown stronger?
Yako immediately targeted the weakest Special Jonin, charging to intercept him, determined not to let him near Danzo.
The two Root ninjas also rushed up the hill, each confronting a Konoha ninja.
"Wake up! Don't be controlled by genjutsu!"
A Yamanaka Root ninja seized the chance to inject chakra into the Konoha Jonin, attempting to disrupt his chakra flow and break the genjutsu—but failed.
Such a strong genjutsu...
Yako feigned weakness, gradually retreating—his focus split, watching the cave entrance.
A slow footstep echoed from inside the cave.
The step was louder than the rain, sinking deep into everyone's ears.
An aged Madara Uchiha appeared at the cave's mouth, leaning on a scythe.
A lightning bolt cut across the rainy night, illuminating Madara's deeply lined face.
Madara's eyes—no longer Rinnegan, but a normal three-tomoe Sharingan!
He'd already transplanted the Rinnegan to Nagato, and now planned Nagato's life to become more extreme.
Madara stood at the cave entrance, eyes on Danzo below.
"Shimura Danzo, you've grown much—you actually found my hidden lair."
Yako thought—last life, it was following Nagato that he'd accidentally found Madara, not Danzo's skill.
Danzo didn't recognize the old man at first, but on the second look, terror flashed in his eyes.
"Uchiha! Madara! You're alive!"
Great—finally, they recognized each other.
In the original story, whether Danzo discovered Madara alive was ambiguous. Now, fatefully, he did.
Danzo had thought he'd meet Kato Dan, but instead faced the Uchiha clan's senior ancestor—one of Konoha's founding pillars alongside Hashirama Senju.
A ninja on par with the First Hokage himself.
Danzo immediately lifted his bandaged eye, revealing his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Madara snorted coldly.
"You despicable thief, obtaining a Mangekyo Sharingan.
That shape must be Uchiha Kagami's. Foolish Kagami trusted Konoha, died for it, and his eyes became village treasures.
No Uchiha who trusted Konoha met a good end.
I told Hashirama long ago—you, Shimura Danzo, are extreme and despicable. You should have been killed long ago.
You should count yourself lucky to live under the Konoha ninja's guise—to live past my leaving and Hashirama's death."
Madara's trash talk was unmatched.
Danzo's face turned green.
The Special Jonin in front of Yako collapsed; Madara stopped controlling him.
Yako had backed down to the hill's base.
When titans clash, don't get caught in the crossfire.
Danzo slowly drew a kunai, blowing wind-style chakra onto its blade, forming a vacuum edge.
"Madara Uchiha, you are so old. I wonder how much of your prime strength remains."
The vacuum blade was sharper than any long sword.
Danzo charged at Madara, kunai in hand.
"Prime? You saw my prime?" Madara mocked as Danzo advanced:
"When I was at my peak with Mangekyo, I was still no match for Hashirama's Wood Release.
Now, you will experience what I once endured.
Let me show you Hashirama's prime!
Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"